As we are approaching the first quarter of the school year it seems like a good time to evaluate the new eight period day system. There are a couple of different factors that come into play in this system that we have extended time periods, less time with students, teachers teach more time, students have more classes, and we do not see students everyday.
Let us start off with teachers who now are teaching 25 minutes more a day than the year before without a pay increase to offset that additional time. It has amazed me how few people understand that we are teaching more time and how fewer people can comprehend this simple fact. Last year I taught 45*5 period for 225 minutes a day. This year I teach 80,85,85, for 250 minutes a day. So my workload has went up 25 minutes a day.
Now the figure up there would not be that bad, if somehow this increased workload would benefit students but just the opposite is happening. I am now seeing students in my 85 minute classes approximately two weeks less time than last year and my students in the 80 minute periods four weeks less than last year. So loser, loser, on both accounts.
Now on the student end to make up for lost time it seems that teachers have to give homework everyday. I will be the first to admit that I do this and it can mean that some students are getting more homework. Also now students have an extra class to attend to. This can mean more homework, more exams or just more time focusing on an 8th subject that they do not really need to graduate.
In fairness to all, some students now have some flexibility in their schedule so that they can take some classes that they might not have the ability to take. Also there are some students taking various AP classes which will allow them to enter college with many more credits.
What concerns me is the lack of continuity from day to day. While we might hope that students will work each day on your subject the reality is that they can not. They just do not have the time. For our weaker students, the fact that they do not have class each day sometimes might make it harder for them to grasp complicated material.
So, why do we need an 8th period? Does it really benefit anyone or the school system as a whole? What do you think after one quarter of the new system?
For a teacher to have to teach more while being paid the same and at the same time seeing his/ her students less often is a very concerning part of the block schedule for sure. Up until this point i have not heard a lot of teachers worrying about being far behind schedule, which is good. We will have to see as the year progresses how much of an impact the missed days will have on the schedule of classes, especially heading into the AP exams in May.
ReplyDeleteI think that being behind might not be a problem as much can you connect things on a day to day basis for those who need it. Also last week 1B had class once for the week, which might happen when it snows. Thanks for taking the time to respond.
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